Casbah Private Guided Tour with Traditional Lunch in Algiers

You eat lunch inside a centuries-old palace that only this tour can access.

A private guided tour of Algiers' Casbah takes you through narrow streets and UNESCO heritage sites (the Ketchaoua Mosque, Mustapha Pacha Palace, and the Mausoleum of Sidi Abderrahmane) ending with a traditional meal and tea in Dar El Mahroussa, a restored Ottoman-era master house. Your guide speaks English, French and Arabic and shares the stories and legends of the neighborhood. The tour runs 5 to 6 hours and includes all entry fees and food.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Casbah and traditional lunch

• Visit Ketchaoua Mosque
• Tour Mustapha Pacha Palace museum
• See Mausoleum of Sidi Abderrahmane et-Thaâlibi
• Enjoy traditional meal at Dar El Mahroussa
• Tour ancient master house Dar El Mahroussa
• Have tea, coffee, and traditional sweets
• Photoshoot at Dar El Mahroussa
• Visit Sidi Ramadan Mosque
• Stop at Mohamed Taleb Boulevard viewpoint
• Visit historical battle site in Casbah
• Walk up hill through historic Casbah architecture

The experience

The Casbah's narrow streets are navigable only with someone who knows them. Your guide takes you past the Ketchaoua Mosque, built in the 17th century at the foot of the UNESCO site, then into Mustapha Pacha Palace, one of the oldest palaces in the Casbah, now a museum. You'll visit the Mausoleum of Sidi Abderrahmane et-Thaâlibi, honoring the city's patron saint, and stop at Mohamed Taleb Boulevard for a view across the neighborhood. The guide points out the site where four fighters died during the Battle of Algiers and walks you up the hill through the higher Casbah, where the architecture tells the history of Ottoman rule and the city's transformation.

The meal happens inside Dar El Mahroussa, the only remaining small palace of its kind in the Casbah. The food is prepared by the aunties who live there, cooked with the techniques and ingredients that define Casbah cooking. You sit in the ancient house, eat, then have tea, coffee and traditional sweets. The setting is built for photography (the courtyard, the tile work, the light through the windows), so bring a camera if you want it.

A guide fluent in English, French and Arabic walks the whole route with you. All entry fees, museum admission and the meal are included in the price. The tour is private, so the pace and the stories adjust to what you want to know.

What’s included

• Entry to the Casbah and all museums on the route.
• a private guide fluent in English, French and Arabic.
• a traditional lunch with tea, coffee and traditional sweets served inside Dar El Mahroussa.
• all entry fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except FridayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (16 to 79 years) · Senior (80 and older) · Youth (12 to 15 years) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Dar El Mahroussa

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're visiting Algiers for the first time and want to see the Casbah's main heritage sites without navigating the narrow streets alone. The private format means your guide adjusts the pace and stories to what interests you, and the meal inside Dar El Mahroussa (a house you cannot enter any other way) is the centerpiece of the experience.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 15 years); Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Dar El Mahroussa and why can I only visit it on this tour?

Dar El Mahroussa is the last surviving small palace in the Casbah, built during Ottoman rule for a wealthy master. The family who owns it lives there and only allows entry through this tour operator, making it accessible nowhere else. The meal you eat is prepared in the house by the aunties who live there.

What sites do I see on the walk through the Casbah?

The tour includes the Ketchaoua Mosque, built in the 17th century and located at the foot of the Casbah; Mustapha Pacha Palace, one of the oldest palaces, now a museum; the Mausoleum of Sidi Abderrahmane et-Thaâlibi, honoring the city's patron saint; and a stop at Mohamed Taleb Boulevard with views across the neighborhood. You also walk through the higher Casbah and see the site where fighters died during the Battle of Algiers.

How long does the tour take and what's included?

The tour runs 5 to 6 hours. Included are entry to the Casbah and all museums, the guide who speaks English, French and Arabic, and the traditional lunch with tea, coffee and sweets at Dar El Mahroussa.

Is this tour suitable if I'm not very fit?

The tour involves walking through narrow, hilly streets of the Casbah and climbing to the higher levels, so it does require a reasonable level of mobility. It is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries. If you have mobility concerns, discuss them when booking.

What makes the food at Dar El Mahroussa different from other restaurants?

The meal is cooked by the aunties who live in the house, using traditional Casbah recipes and techniques passed down through generations. The food is prepared with local ingredients and the methods used there, which gives it a taste you won't find in restaurants outside the house.